The Scot, whose career was rescued by the energy drink-owned squad at
the end of 2004, said he is now doubly motivated to prove he is good
enough to steer an Adrian Newey-penned car next year.

While Newey - who has previously worked with 34-year-old Coulthard at
Williams and McLaren - is already a fixture at Red Bull, his full
influence will not be felt until the 'RB3' is up and racing in season
'07.

Newey, 47, has penned cars that have won more than 100 grands prix and
thirteen championships.

Coulthard told the BBC: ''My motivation is to be in an
Adrian-influenced Red Bull in 2007.

''Within a few months we should start to feel (his) influence, but of
course next year will be the biggest step because it will be part of
an integrally-designed package.''

Although Coulthard admits that he played a role in persuading Newey to
leave McLaren, a side-effect is that top drivers like Juan Pablo
Montoya and even Michael Schumacher are now linked with possible moves
to the Milton-Keynes based team.

DC quipped: ''But that's part of the business.''

'Mumm' sticks with F1
(GMMf1NET -- Mar.8) French champagne brand 'Mumm' will continue to be
sprayed on formula one podiums throughout 2006.

The bottle with the 'Cordon Rouge' became the official champagne of
the sport in 2000, after Moet & Chandon pulled out.

Three 'Jeroboam' (three-liter) bottles of Mumm are sprayed by the top
finishers at every grand prix on the calendar, except in Bahrain where
a non-alcoholic alternative is used.

''Shaking champagne and spreading it on people, this is something I
don't think people will accept,'' a Bahrain spokesman said before the
inaugural race in 2004.

That is the opinion of triple world champion and former Jaguar chief
Niki Lauda, who has observed that - after losing 95 per cent of all
grands prix last year - Bridgestone is again behind its French rival.

''To me, that is the big question,'' the Austrian told television
broadcaster ORF.

''How well is Bridgestone prepared?

''At least their development should now move faster, with Toyota and
Williams there to help.

''But on long runs, for the moment it looks like they are five to
eight tenths (per lap) away from the Michelin cars, at least in the
cold of winter testing.''

Lauda, 57, added that - in qualifying - Bridgestone is missing about
half a second per lap.

He continued: ''If I am right, it is looking very good for the
Michelin cars for the first two or three races.''

Schu tipped to reclaim title
(GMMf1NET -- Mar.8) Most German F1 fans think Michael Schumacher will
bounce back from defeat to win the 2006 world championship.

German pay-tv channel and F1 broadcaster 'Premiere' conducted a survey
in which 65 per cent said the 37-year-old Ferrari star would beat off
Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen's challenges to lift the drivers'
trophy.

Alonso and Raikkonen each got 13 per cent of the vote, followed by
Ralf Schumacher (4%), Juan Pablo Montoya and Rubens Barrichello (2%
each).

While that may appear like a vote of confidence in Schumacher Sr, a
year ago Michael scored 93 per cent of the vote when the survey was
asked whether he would defend his 2004 triumph.

Schu to become movie star
(GMMf1NET -- Mar.8) Seven time world champion Michael Schumacher is
all set to become a movie actor.

The 37-year-old Ferrari driver, along with football stars David
Beckham and Zinedine Zidane, will appear in the new film 'Asterix and
the Olympic Games', based on the comic book.

Filming of the movie, to star Gerard Depardieu, will kick off in June,
in Valencia -- home of the famous Spanish F1 test track.

With a reported budget of nearly $100m, the movie - a joint production
of France, Spain and Germany - is apparently the biggest ever in
European history.

Alonso not moving for money - Haug
(GMMf1NET -- Mar.8) Norbert Haug has rejected suggestions that world
champion Fernando Alonso will only switch to McLaren in 2007 because a
bigger pay packet awaits.

It is a near-fact that, after earning $7.2 million at Renault in 2006,
24-year-old Alonso will take home about double when he wears silver
gear next year.

But Haug, 53, told the 'Sport-Informations-Dienst' (sid) agency that
better pay is not the reason for Alonso's move.

''He comes (to the team) because he sees in us the best competitive
option for the long term.''

Leafield-based Super Aguri, led by Aguri Suzuki, is apparently
targeting Imola (April 23) as a possible debut date for the brand new
SA06 car, but mid-May's Spanish GP is understood to be more realistic.

Sato also explained that he hasn't even properly tested the SA05's
'06-legal bodywork, which is expected to propel him and rookie
teammate Yuji Ide to within six or seven seconds of the pace.

''I have driven the (Bahrain-spec) car,'' he told the publication,
''but I never really got the tires up to temperature.''

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